Invitation to a Wedding
by Glass Wolf
Summary: Percy Weasley receives an invite to Penelope Clearwater's wedding. Set during Order of the Phoenix. Percy x Penelope, Percy x OFC and Penelope x OMC.
1. Part One

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable Characters They and the world of Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling. Any Original characters were created by me and anyone who wants to can use them. Not making any money off of this please don't sue.

Note: This is another fic in my Disillusionment verse. This is set during Order of the Phoenix during the time Voldemort was still in hiding and while Percy was being a prick. This is a Two-Part Fic dealing with Percy Receiving an Invite to a wedding he doesn't want.

Warning: Mentions of Percy/Penelope, Percy/OFC, and Penelope/OMC

Invitation to a Wedding.

Part One of Two.

Percy Weasley was not having a good day it seemed an extremely vocal minority of people in the wizarding world were not overly happy about the appointment of a Hogwarts High Inquisitor and they kept sending howlers making their displeasure known.

So he was less than thrilled when Malinda Donaldson arrived as his desk carrying a letter for him. "Percy, it seems this young lady thought you still worked in our department." She said handing him a letter that had been addressed to him care of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. As he took the letter, he noticed her leering at him and quickly looked away. When he first joined the ministry, she had been rude and obnoxious but after his break with his family she had suddenly seemed interested in him.

"Thank you Malinda." Percy said calmly. "You could have attached it to an interoffice memo instead of taking time out of you busy schedule." He added a slight tone of reproach hoping she would leave quickly.

She merely smiled. "Oh I was just on my way to lunch when it came in so it hasn't affected my work at all." Leaning in slightly she continued. "It's so nice of you to worry about my productivity." Then whispered so no one else would hear. "You should join me for lunch we can have a bit of fun to ease your tensions."

After only a few short dates Percy had learned her idea of fun was a bit too extreme for him and made it clear that well connected through her pureblood mother or not. She was not a suitable dating prospect if he meant to be the minister of magic some day. "No thank you Malinda I really have far too much work to do." She didn't seem that disappointed and calmly walked away. He saw out of the corner of his eye her stopping to ask another man to join her.

Frowning slightly at the injustice that he had to fight against his fathers lousy reputation to even be taken seriously in the office while she was free to be as wild as she wanted thanks to being related to Fudge and several other well placed ministry officials threw her mother. He stopped himself from crumbling the letter in his hand and taking a deep breath to calm himself opened it. His day went from bad to worse as he read it. He couldn't believe Penelope was getting married some part of him still thought of her as his girlfriend. This relationship had ended shortly after graduation by mutual consent since both felt they'd be too busy with their new careers to keep a relationship going.

However he admitted deep down he'd always thought once they were both established things would have gone back to how they were at Hogwarts. "I need a drink." He said out loud and noticed several workers looked at him. He quickly busied himself as he felt the blush creeping up on him. He hated letting any cracks appear in his carefully crafted image it felt like a betrayal of all he'd worked for. When he had composed himself to look up again no one was staring anymore and he hoped no one would ask about it.

Deciding he could not dare to skip it, he promptly wrote Penelope informing her he would be glad to attend her wedding to David Hornby provided the Minister's office could spare him for the necessary amount of time. Privately he hoped they wouldn't, but knew that he would probably be allowed to go.

He spent the rest of the day feeling sick a feeling he had only experienced three other times in his life the most recent of which was when he had to choose between his misguided family and the ministry. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind trying to work but he found himself thinking the second time He'd felt this bad. When he'd heard Penelope had been petrified even though she wasn't muggleborn or just a short while later when he'd learned that his little sister Ginny had been taken to the chamber. He attempted to stop thinking about it at once since he would have to think about who saved her and that would lead right back to thinking about his family.

He was relieved after several hours of only slightly productive work it was time to leave. Normally he'd stay for several hours more and be sure to have all of his work perfect but he was still dealing with his Penelope marrying someone else and having to watch it. He was shaken out of his thoughts when a young man got on the lift. "Wow Weatherby you look down?" The blond haired man said with a hint of surprise.

Percy fought down the flash of irritation. "My name is not Weatherby Cole as you very well know." He had very little patience to deal with Elliot Cole, the assistant to the Officer in charge of the Animagus Register. While he supposed, Cole was friendly enough even slightly attractive in the same wreck less way his elder brother Bill was Percy simply had no use for him.

The other man smirked. "But Malinda said you loved being called Weatherby in bed." Percy furiously got off the elevator at the next floor and walked away. He was shocked to find Cole following after him. "Sorry Percy didn't realize you were in that bad a mood." Percy slowed and looked at the other man privately wishing he would go away. "I know come on let me buy you a drink to make up for teasing you?"

Percy had every intention of saying no and thanking Cole politely as was proper. However just then he happened to catch sight of Malinda coming down the hall and knew it would be quicker to say yes than a polite refusal. "Yes that would be fine." He hurried himself and Cole into the lift before Malinda could catch up he was in no mood to deal with her advances most especially not with a witness present.

Percy returned to his home that night in a much better mood. The fire whiskey he'd consumed had certainly helped as had the fact that he had actually enjoyed conversing with the other man. He normally avoided any at the ministry who couldn't help him advance and a lowly assistant to an aging Witch that was extremely unpopular in the ministry would normally be beneath his notice. He had enjoyed the evening and even admitted privately he wouldn't mind doing it again it was nice to have someone to talk to sometimes who didn't have any bearing on his future career.

End of Part One:

Part Two will focus on Percy and Penelope actually talking.


	2. Part Two

For Disclaimer and Warnings see Part One.

Part Two Actually takes place after the Wedding.

Invitation to a Wedding

Part Two of Two.

Penelope Hornby was certainly enjoying married life. Though she admitted she'd have enjoyed it more if she hadn't had to put off her honeymoon till after she completed the additional training required before she could officially become a healer's apprentice. She was currently sitting in a small little café on Daigon Alley growing impatient.

She glanced at the clock slightly irritated with her lunch guest. She had gone to the trouble to arrange time off since they hadn't gotten much chance to talk at the wedding and the least he could do was be punctual. She forgets her irritation when he finally arrived, looking slightly flustered and nervous. "It's good to see you again so soon Percy." She said smiling as she went to hug him and guide him to sit down.

"Good to see you too, Penny." Percy said with a smile. "I apologize for being late Malinda Donaldson had pressing business she wished to discuss with me." She could tell from his tone that he didn't think very highly of the woman. She was about to question him more when the serving witch arrived and took their orders. "So how is your husband?" Percy asked formally.

"He's doing well." Penelope said proudly. "He couldn't come to lunch because he's meeting with the board of Saint Mungo's to decide where he'll serve his apprenticeship." She couldn't help but smile at him. "But I asked to see you to talk about you, not me." She saw him frown.

"I see." Percy said formally. "What would you like to discuss?" A few years ago in private she would have laughed and began to tease him mercilessly for taking his formal tone with her but times had certainly changed.

"I want to ask how you're doing?" She saw his face register shock. "Percy, I know you pretty well." She took his head "We were together for three years and all threw out the wedding you had that forced expression you wear when you're miserable but don't want anyone to know." She had only seen him genuinely interested once and that was when her husband's great-aunt Olive had been telling a story about being stalked by a ghost named Myrtle at her brothers wedding.

Percy was very quiet for a long time the serving witch had returned with their food and they'd eaten a good deal of it before he finally spoke. "Things are going very well, my career couldn't be going any better unless I was related to Fudge himself." She was a bit disappointed he'd pompously declare how good his career was going but wasn't truly surprised.

"Percy, I meant your personal life I heard you had a major row with your family?" Several of her friends who had gone into the Ministry had filled her in on the gossip. "I also know you briefly dated the Office stress relief Malinda Donaldson and then blew her off and she's been after you ever since." She saw him blush slightly. "So why not drop the pompous act and tell me the truth?"

She realized she may have gone too far when Percy, his skin blushing a bit red turned a withering glare on her. "I do not recall giving you permission to examine my life threw any spies you have at the ministry?"

She felt a bit of anger herself but didn't let it show. "Don't start a fight Percy, I'm worried about you." She put her hand on his and he seemed to relax. "And I don't have spies at the ministry just friends from school I still see regularly." She decided to ask him. "Do you still see any of your friends from school what about Oliver he was your best mate wasn't he?"

"He was," Percy said frowning. " But like me he is very busy with his chosen career and really doesn't have time to socialize outside of his chosen field." She knew if he wasn't in touch with Oliver then he definitely wasn't in touch with any of his other friends from school. "I do go out with several of my superiors from time to time." He said proudly. "It is very good for my career."

She smiled and nodded but had to ask. "Do you have any friends who aren't good for your career?" She watched him start and seem to think for a bit before he nodded. "You do that's wonderful who are they?"

"Elliot Cole, He is the assistant to Battina Blaggersmith." He paused "She is the eccentric old witch in charge of the Animagus Registry." Penelope knew of her by reputation. Apparently it was a dead end job to be assigned to that department. She had to admit for Percy to be friends with him wouldn't help his career.

"Blaggersmith is that any relation to Mary the weird girl in your house in our year?" She had never been very fond of the girl and was always glad that the rather airheaded girl was only in one NEWT class with her.

"Yes Mary is distantly related to her." Percy seemed to be in a slightly better mood as he related. "I haven't spoken with her often but Elliot says she complains about her family constantly and how she wishes there were more than eight registered Animagus this century." He seemed to be getting into one of the lectures that he enjoyed so much. "I have of course told him to inform her most wizards don't have sufficient skill even with assistance to complete the transformation and that even fewer are willing to deal with the slight suspicion that surrounds them in Ministry circles."

Penelope decided to just let him go on for a bit as Percy had always enjoyed giving his opinion on anything and everything. "Suspicion I thought it was a greatly lauded ability to have?" She couldn't help smiling at Percy as he turned toward her.

"Oh it is in academic circles MacGonogal is very well respected for her abilities." He paused for a bit. "However within the ministry there is a fear of someone using it to spy on their associates to gain an advantage." Penelope could believe that her Ministry friends loved to gossip and it was widely known if you the higher ups didn't approve of somethign about you then you'd never get anywhere.

"You mentioned eight registered animagus I thought there were only seven this century?" She was honestly a bit shocked that Percy knew so much about the Department. "And while were on the subject how do you know so much about the subject?"

Percy blushed a bit. "Elliot just completed the transformation with Blaggersmith's assistance." He looked down as he continued. "I had considered becoming an animagus until I realized it might negatively affect my career options." He stopped as the serving witch returned with their bill once she had deposited it and left he turned back to her and she watched as he smiled rather sheepishly. "I still find the process facinating from an academic standpoint of course."

Penelope smiled at him and said "Of course." She couldn't help but ask. "So what does your friend turn into?" She stopped him reaching for the check. "I've got that Percy I invited you." Seeing his frown. "You can pay next time after all just because I'm married now doesn't mean our friendship is over."

"Thank you, Penny." Percy said rather happily. "Oh and Elliot becomes a Parrot I was rather shocked until I learned that non native forms do happen from time to time." He was heading back into lecture mode until she saw him notice the clock. "I'm afraid I have to run if I still have a great deal of work to do." She smiled and gave him a quick hug as they said their good byes and she watched him head out of the café.

She calmly payed the bill and then decided to do some shopping for a bit until her friend Helen got off so she could quiz her about Percy's animagus friend. She had long ago realized as they broke up they'd never get back together but he was still her friend and she was going to look out for him a bit. She frowned as she realized they'd avoided the subject she really wanted to discuss his estrangement from his family. 'Oh well there's always next time.' She thought.

The End.


End file.
